Until now the teaching at secondary technical schools followed curricular documents approved by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, although headmasters were allowed to modify these documents. Teaching plans include general education subjects such as Czech language and literature, a foreign language, mathematics, sciences, civics, history, and physical education, as well as a range of vocational subjects relevant to the given field of study. The teaching of vocational subjects also includes various practical or designing exercises, laboratory sessions, and other exercises. Secondary technical school teaching plans also include periods of continuous practical training at businesses or other institutions. Continuous assessment as well as final evaluation of students is conducted at secondary technical schools. The Maturita exam for the four-year programmes provided by secondary technical schools currently comprises the Czech language and literature, an optional subject, and vocational subjects. The vocational subject examination is now comprised of a theoretical exam and a practical exam. The students who pass the Maturita exam obtain the Maturita exam report. Employers recognise reports of these exams as proof of completed vocational qualification without any reservations. Also, passing the Maturita exam allows students to be admitted to higher education institutions or tertiary technical schools. The Maturita exam reform is to be phased in from 2010 to 2012.
Under the existing legislation, secondary vocational schools provide students with qualification for the technical activities corresponding to the relevant vocational training fields. Involvement of business in apprentice vocational training works out primarily at the level of particular schools. In order to improve their educational programmes, schools collaborate with labour offices, businesses, professional associations, and chambers of commerce. Two-year or, usually, three-year practical training provides secondary education, is completed by final exam, and leads to apprenticeship certificate for successful candidates. The final exam does not allow the graduates of two-year or three-year courses to be admitted to tertiary education, and they enter the labour market immediately. They may only go on to attend next-tier studies providing they have first completed an additional two-year course and passed the Maturita exam. Besides this, secondary vocational schools may teach students ‘in fields of study for the performance of some quite demanding blue-collar occupations and some technical economic activities of operational nature’. Such fields of study span over four years, are completed by the Maturita exam, and allow graduates to be admitted to higher education institutions and tertiary technical schools.
The teaching plans of these schools include general education subjects (the same as those taught at secondary technical schools), practical training, and vocational subjects – which vocational subjects are taught depends on the nature of the given field of study. The ratio of general education subjects to vocational subjects and to practical training is not identical either for all fields of study or for all grades. The allocation for three-year fields of study, which are most common, is as follows: 30–35% of teaching time for general education subjects, 20–30% of teaching time for theoretical vocational subjects, and 35–45% of teaching time for practical training. The approximate ratio in four-year fields of study is usually 40:30:30. Only general education subjects and theoretical vocational subjects, the approximate ratio of which is 45:55, are included in the teaching plans for the fields of study in the follow-up courses for graduates in secondary vocational school three-year programmes.
Practical training is usually delivered at production facilities, trainee workshops or regular shops although it may also be done at laboratories and vocational training rooms with regard to the nature of a specific field of study. This is the case especially in respect of four-year fields of study. Continuous as well as final student evaluation through the Maturita exam (in four-year fields of study) is analogous to that at secondary technical schools. The final examination for secondary vocational school three-year fields of study is a vocational exam where students demonstrate their qualification to perform the given work activities and occupations. This exam comprises a practical exam in vocational subjects and a theoretical exam in vocational subjects. Students who pass the final examination obtain a final examination report and apprenticeship certificate.
Follow-up courses are organised by both secondary vocational schools and secondary technical schools. Applicants apply for these courses immediately after completing their previous education or after some time of job experience. This segment of the system of schools is a second-chance institution and enhances the education system permeability significantly.
Conservatoires are a specific type of secondary technical school that follows different rules. The admission procedure includes an examination to test the artistic talents of applicants. Six-year branches of music or drama studies admit pupils after completion of grade nine of primary school, whereas the eight-year branch of dancing is open to pupils after grade five of primary school and such pupils complete their compulsory education while attending the lower grades of conservatoire studies.
The six-year and eight-year studies are usually completed by conservatoire absolutorium. Graduates obtain an absolutorium report and graduation diploma, and are awarded the degree of diplomovaný specialista abbreviated as DiS and attached after name. Conservatoire graduates have attained tertiary technical education (ISCED 5B). Conservatoire students may sit an optional Maturita exam but only after completion of grade four (or grade eight in respect of the branch of dancing).